Later Ratushniak found himself drawn to the forest as a source of inspiration; in this shift he followed the example of Emily Carr whose paintings and writings had provided an early stimulus to his work. He drew now directly from nature, on camping excursions into the remote corners along the shores of the island.
1975 brought a new range of materials and techniques into his artistic range when he began to take private tuition from celebrated printmaker Sybil Andrews. Andrews, a leading figure in the Grosvenor School of printmaking during the pre-war period, had settled on the island after the war. Over a ten-year period Ratushniak studied drawing. Painting and printmaking under Andrews, with an emphasis on the techniques of printmaking, and especially the art of linocut. In the course of this decade a deep friendship grew between the two, and Andrews gave voice to this dedicating her book The Artist's Kitchen with the words "For Gary Ratushniak, who shared our great discussions".
In 1984, with the encouragement and support of Sybil Andrews, Ratushniak arrived in England to study a year at the Heatherley's School of Fine Art. Since that time he has continued to live and produce paintings, stencils and linocuts in London.
Then in 1997 he attended Middlesex University where he obtained a BA in Fine Art.
Ratushniak continues to produce new works in mixed media, with an emphasis on the many aspects of the human psyche. Such as Birth, Life, Death and Open Sexuality.
Select Exhibitions & Print Fairs
1976 Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Paintings,prints and sculpture, joint show alongside Danny Coon.
1977 Downtown Gallery, Courtenay BC.
Paintings and prints, One man show.
1978 deVooght Galleries Ltd, Vancouver BC.
Prints,group show.
1979 Earl Lamm Gallery, Calgary.
Paintings, group show.
1993/94 Prints~Chicago,Chicago.
linocuts and stencils.
1993/97 International Print Fair, New York.
Linocuts.
1993/97 Works on Paper New York, linocuts.
The New York Times called it "The most important show of its kind in the United States".
1994 The Silver Fox Gallery, London.
Paintings, stencils, linocuts, One Man Show. Exhibition Name "A Link to the Chain".
1995 Coram Gallery, London.
Prints. Name of Exhibition "Lill Tschudi and the continuing tradition of the linocut".
1998 20th Century British Art Fair, Archeus Fine Art, London. Linocuts
1998 England and Co, London.
Linocuts, group show.
